Arachne Reef

Best months: Sep–Jan

Protected Area

Kellett Bluff Voluntary No-take

Why dive here

With 35+ marine species recorded in the area - including humpback whales, orcas and seals & sea lions - Arachne Reef offers some of Pacific Northwest's richest reef diving. Water ranges 7-17°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeSep–Jan

WetsuitA drysuit

Marine lifeHumpback Whales, Orcas and Seals & Sea Lions · 35+ species recorded

Water7-17°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterReef dive

Arachne Reef is one of those spots that just keeps giving. We’ve logged countless dives here and it never fails to surprise. Drop down, and you’re instantly enveloped in a forest of kelp, swaying gently in the subtle surge. The light filters through, painting shifting patterns on the rocks below. We’ve spent whole dives just watching the ballet of the Snake Pricklebacks weaving through the fronds, or spotting the brilliant orange of a Sweet Potato Sea Cucumber clinging to the rock face. Our favourite time to dive Arachne is on a slack tide, early in the morning. That’s when the resident Red Rock Crabs are most active, scuttling across the seabed, and you often catch the smaller Humpy Shrimp and Shortscale Eualids out foraging. Look closely into the crevices and you’ll find Prickly Sculpins perfectly camouflaged. We’ve even been lucky enough to hear the distant calls of Orcas from the surface, though seeing them underwater is a rare treat. It’s a site that rewards slow, meticulous divers. Expect to come up a little colder but absolutely buzzing with what you’ve seen.